USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 15
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The County Association is auxiliary to the District Association, and the latter to the State Association, the object being to establish a complete and harmonious system of effort in behalf of the Sunday Schools throughout the State. The reports made by the representatives of the different schools in the county, at each of the meetings since the organization of this Association, show that a gratifying progress has been made in Sunday School work, and that to a considerable degree this progress is owing to the effect of systematic labor in- augurated by the system of Sunday School Associations.
The last annual meeting of the Association was held at Sterling on the 7th and 8th of May, 1877. The following officers were then elected for the ensu- ing year: President, D. J. Jenne, of Sterling; Recording Secretary, Payson Trask, of Fulton; County Secretary, Dr. H. C. Donaldson, of Morrison; Town- ship Secretaries, David Parkhill, Ustick, Thomas Gulliland, Clyde, S. H. Kin- gery, Sterling, James Snyder, Mt. Pleasant, G. F. Goodell, Union Grove, J. M. Fay, Fulton, P. J. Kennedy, Garden Plain, E. Olds, Albany, Wm. Mitchell, Newton, M. O. Hurless, Fenton, Chas. W. Westervelt, Lyndon, L. E. Matthews, Erie, L. E. Tuttle, Coloma, Rev. H. M. Corbett, Portland, Geo. B. Quigley, Prophetstown, E. A. Hovey, Tampico, Chas. Toby, Hopkins, A. S. Ferguson, Genesee.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
By the act of the General Assembly approved March 1, 1843, establishing seven Congressional districts in the State, Whiteside became a part of the Sixth district. Previous to this time Whiteside formed a portion of the district which included the whole northern part of the State, and was numbered the Third District. The district of 1843 comprised the counties of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Carroll, Ogle. Lee, Whiteside, Rock Island, Henry, Stark, Mercer, Henderson, Warren, Knox, McDonough, and Hancock, in all sixteen counties. By the apportionment of 1852, Whiteside was placed in the Second Congressional district with Cook, Du Page, Kane, De Kalb, Lee, and Rock Island; in 1861 in the Thirteenth district with Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll, Ogle, and Lee; and in 1872 in the Fifth district with Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Carroll and Ogle.
The following are the names of Members of Congress who have represented the districts to which Whiteside has been attached, with the years when they were elected:
1836-Wm. L. May. 183S-'40-John T. Stewart. 1843-44-Joseph P. Hoge. 1846-Thos. J. Turner. IS48-Ed. D. Baker.
IS50-Thompson J. Campbell. 1852-John Wentworth. 1854-Jas. HI. Woodworth. 1856-'5S-John F. Farnsworth. IS60-Isaac N. Arnold.
1862-'64-'60-'68 Elihu B. Wash- burne.
IS69-'70- '72-'71-'70-Horatio C. Burchard.
Members State" Board of Equalization :- 1868, Leander A. Devine; 1872- '76, Edward B. Warner.
104
HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
SENATORIAL AND REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.
Previous to 1841, Whiteside was not included as a distinct county in the formation of Senatorial and Representative districts, its present territory having belonged at different times to other counties, but by the act of the General Assembly, approved February 26 1841, it formed with Rock Island, Henry and Lee, a Senatorial district, and with Lee a Representative district. By that act 12,000 white inhabitants formed the ratio of representation for a Senator, and 4,000 white inhabitants for a Representative.
By the act approved February 25, 1847, the ratio of representation was increased to 19,000 white inhabitants for a Senator, and 6,500 white inhabit- ants for a Representative. Under this apportionment Whiteside, Lee, Rock Island, Henry and Mercer formed a Senatorial district, and Whiteside and Lee a Representative distriet.
Under the Constitution of 1847, in force April 1, 1848, the Senatorial and Representative districts began to be numbered, the counties of Whiteside, Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Carroll forming a Senatorial district, and numbered the 23d, and Whiteside and Lee a Representative district and numbered the 44th.
By the act approved February 27, 1854, the counties of Whiteside, Lee, Kane and De Kalb were made to constitute the Fifth Senatorial district, and entitled to one Senator, and Whiteside and Lee the Forty-ninth Representative district, and entitled to one Representative.
The act approved January 31, 1861, constituted the counties of Whiteside, Lee and Ogle as the 20th Senatorial district, entitled to one Senator, and the county of Whiteside as the 48th Representative district, and entitled to one Representative.
Under the Constitution of 1870 the districts in the State are termed Senatorial, and each entitled to one Senator, and three Representatives, the minority system obtaining in the election of the latter. The act approved March 1, 1872, constituted Whiteside and Carroll as the 11th Senatorial district.
The following State Senators and Representatives have represented the districts to which Whiteside has been attached:
Senators :- 1836, - Wight; 1840, Col. Buford; 1844, Silas H. Noble; 1848, Hezekiah H. Gear; 1852, Hugh Wallace; 1854, Augustus Adams; 1858, Richard P. Adams; 1862, Daniel Richards; 1866, Daniel J. Pickney; 1870, Winfield S. Wilkinson; 1872, Joseph M. Patterson; 1874, Henry A. Mills.
Representatives :- 1836, James Craig, J. Kent; 1838, Thomas Drummond; 1840, Thomas Drummond, Hiram W. Thornton; 1842, Aaron C. Jackson; 1844, Winfield S. Wilkinson; 1846, Hugh Wallace; 1848, Joseph Crawford; 1850, Van J. Adams; 1852, Joseph Crawford; 1854, Miles S. Henry; 1856, John V. Eustace; 1858, Win. Prothrow; 1860, George Ryan; 1862-'64, Leander Smith; 1866-'68, James Dinsmoor; 1870, Dean S. Efner, Nathan Williams; 1872, Dean S. Efner, James Shaw. James E. McPherran; 1874, Tyler McWhorter, Norman D. French, Albert R. McCoy; 1876, Edward H. Nevitt, James Shaw, James M. Stowell.
Members Constitutional Conventions :- The following named gentlemen have represented Whiteside County in the Constitutional Conventions of 1847, 1861, and 1869, viz: 1847, Aaron C. Jackson; 1861, Leander Smith; 1869, James McCoy.
105
STATISTICS, POPULATION, ETC.
LIST OF PUBLIC OFFICERS. .
The following is a list of the officers of the County from its organization to the present time:
Clerk County Commissioners' Court :- 1839-'41, Guy Ray; 1841, Theodore Winn; 1841-'49, John Roy.
County Clerk :- 1849-'53, Norton J. Nichols; 1853-'57, Rufus DeGarmo; 1857-'69, Winfield S. Wilkinson; 1869-'77, Edwin W. Payne.
Clerk Circuit Court :- 1839-'40, Erastus G. Nichols; 1840-'48, Robert L. Wilson.
Recorder :- 1839, Augustine W. Newhall; 1839-'48, W. W. Gilbert.
Circuit Clerk and Recorder :- 1848-'60, Robert L. Wilson; 1860-'68, Ad- dison Farrington; 1868-'72, John N. Baird; 1872-776, William P. Squire; 1876-'80, Addison Farrington.
Probate Justice :- 1839-'42, Daniel B. Young; 1842-'49, Robert L. Wilson.
County Judge :- 1849-'57, N. G. Reynolds; 1857-'59, James McCoy; 1859-'60, Charles J. Johnson; 1860-'61, W. Anderson; 1861-'65, Christopher C. Teats; 1865-'69, Ed. G. Allen; 1869-'77, William Lane.
Sheriff :- 1839-'40, James C. Woodburn; 1840-'44, J. W. McLemore; 1844-'46, James A. Sweet; 1846-'48, J. W. MeLemore; 1848-'50, L. D. Cran- dall; 1850-'52, Perry L. Jeffers; 1852-'54, Charles Wright; 1854-56, Wm. Manahan; 1856-'58, R. G. Clendenin; 1858-'60, John Dippell; 1860-'62, R. G. Clendenin; 1862-'64, Robert E. Logan; 1864-'66, John Dippell; 1866-'68, L. A. Lincoln; 1868-'78, Edwin A. Worrell.
Coroner :- 1839-'44, Ivory Colcord; 1844-'46, Gilbert Buckingham; 1846-'48, Clinton G. Taylor; 1848-'54, Ivory Colcord; 1854-'56, D. F. Millikan; 1856-'58, Daniel Reed; 1858-'60, Wm. L. Coe; 1860-'62, John Eddy; 1862-'68, Samuel Taylor; 1868-770, Wm. L. Coc; 1870-'72, D. B. Seger; 1872-'73, John Riley; 1873-774, Merill Mead; 1874-'76, David E. Dodge; 1876-'78, Moses Lathe.
Treasurer :- 1839-'41, David Mitchell; 1841-'43, Daniel Brooks; 1843-'47, David Hazard; 1847-'50, Henry Ustick; 1850-'51, John B. Myers; 1851-'55, David Hazard; 1855-'57, Jesse Penrose; 1857-'69, Edward B. Warner; 1869-777, William H. Thatcher.
Surveyor :- 1839-'42, Charles R. Rood; 1842-'47, W. S. Wilkinson; 1847-'53, Wm. Pollock; 1853-'57, W. S. Wilkinson; 1857-'63, L. H. Wood- worth; 1863-'65, Miles T. Woolley; 1865-'71, John D. Arey; 1871-'77, Silas Sears.
School Commissioner :- 1840-'42, Daniel B. Young; 1842-'45, William Nevitt; 1845-'55, Charles S. Deming.
County Superintendent of Schools :- 1855-'57, Charles S. Deming; 1857-'69, M. R. Kelly; 1869-773, Michael W. Smith; 1873-'77, Orrin M. Crary.
STATISTICS, POPULATION, ETC.
The following tables give the population of the county from 1840 to 1870 inclusive, as compiled from the Federal census, together with other valuable statistics derived from the same source.
In 1840 the population of the county was only 2,514.
From the statistics of 1850 we gather the following:
[13-K.]
106
HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
Total population.
5,361 ;No. bushels wheat raised .. 149,661
Males ..
2,863 |No. bushels rye and oats ..
70,654
Females ..
2,498 |No. bushels corn .. 211,027
United States born.
3,344 No. bushels barley ...... 265
Foreign born.
13 Butter and Cheese, pounds 155,917
5,950
Total educational income ..
$ 3,147 Flax, pounds.
750
No. of farms ..
404 Tobacco, pounds
505
No. of acres improved ..
35,992 Wool, pounds. Value of orchard products.
1,035
Value with improvements and implements ... $767.552
Capital invested in manufacturing. $119,020
No. of horses, asses and mules ...
1,460 Hands employed ..
77
No. of neat cattle.
6,791 Annual products ...
114,820
No. of sheep.
5,372 Produced in families.
4,715
No. of swine
3,642 }
The following table gives the population of the county by townships in 1860 and 1870:
Towns.
Population. Population. IS60. IS70.
Towns.
Population. Population. 1S60.
1870.
Albany
62S
So5
Jordan
1028
1196
Clyde.
603
1093
Lyndon.
1140
1030
Coloma
278
S56
Montmorency
278
665
Erie.
630
695
Mt. Pleasant ..
1695
2553
Fenton
639
758
Newton.
607
SSO
Fulton ..
1507
2162
Portland
986
Garden Plain
816
1091
Prophetstown
1144
1274
Genesee.
1157
1271
Sterling
2427
399S
Hahnaman
I18
624
Tampico.
195
63-4
Hopkins
1113
14.36
Union Grove
SAS
1070
Humne
316
676
Ustick
647
1026
Total population in 1860, 18,737, of which 15,869 were native born, and 2,868 foreign born. In 1870 the population amounted to 27,503, of which 22.913 were native born, and 4,590 foreign born.
The statistics of 1860 show the following:
No. of acres improved land in county ......
161,602 | No. bushels wheat ..
No. of acres unimproved.
114,140
rye
6,250
Cash value of tarms.
$ 5,305.231
..
corn.
793,713
No. of horses .. .
6,585
oats.
320,930
asses and mulcs.
HIS
Tobacco, pounds ...
1,352
.. milch cows ....
Wool, pounds.
3,545
working oxen.
1,029
Potatoes, bushels
62,840
.. other cattle
10,841
Barley. bushels.
18,799
sheep .....
1,303
Buckwheat, bushels.
650
swine ..
12,827
Orchard products.
$
12,445
Butter, pounds.
527,734
No. tons of hay.
39,459
Cheese, pounds.
57,200
Home made manufactures.
3,313
Value real estate.
$ 7,143,949
No. of churches
27
" personal.
2,582,606
Value church property. S
58,350
No. families
3,548
From the statistics of 1870 we gather the following:
No. of acres improved land in county. .....
2So,So9 | No. bushels rye.
31,055
No acres unimproved.
21,S23
corn ......
2,162.943
Cash value of farms ..
$12,632,720
66
oats
SSO,S3S
Cash value of farm productions
3,085,329
barley ..
S9,07S
Orchard products ..
35,547
buckwheat.
3,255
Value of home manufactures ..
79S. 192
potatoes
219,470
Value of live stock
2,497,554
No. of horses ...
14,944
Wool,
..
40,660
"' mules and asses.
252
Butter,
732,591
66 Milch cows.
13,129 8
Hay, tons.
54,333
other cattle.
22,135
No, scholars who attend school ..
6,781
.. sheep
11,168
No. of people over 21 who cannot read or write
558
No. church organizations ...
38
No. church cdifices ..
35
No. hushels wheat ...
457,719
Value church property.
11,250
Public School Affairs.
We publish the following statistics from the annual report of O. M. Crary,
436 |No. bushels huckwheat. 1,685
Persons over 10 who cannot read or write. ..
No. of pupils in public schools ..
1, 364 Hay, tons ..
14,445
No. of acres unimproved ..
55,184
..
Tobacco, pounds.
220
Cheese.
63,38I
working oxen
66 swine ..
37,765
66 ..
10'5,574
66
S,255
107
STATISTICS, POPULATION, ETC.
County Superintendent of Schools, for 1876, which will give our readers a cor- rect idea of the status of the public schools of the county:
No. of males under 21 years of age.
7,705
No. of females under 21 years of age
7,271
14,976
No. of males between the ages of 6 and 21.
5,198
No. of females between the ages of 6 and 21.
4,887
10,085
No. school districts having five months school, or more
141
No. school districts having less than five months school
I
142
No. Public Free Schools sustained
143
No. of months school sustained. .
1, 16733
Average No. months school sustained
7.76
Whole No. male pupils enrolled.
4,475
Whole No. female pupils enrolled.
4,149
8,624
No. of male teachers.
95
No. of female teachers
195
290
No. of months taught by male teachers
509
No. of months taught by female teachers
999 12
1,508 1/2
No. of graded schools.
I
No. of ungraded schools
131
1.42
No. of months taught in graded schools.
265
No. of months taught in ungraded schools.
1,05512
1,3201/2
No. of private schools.
2
No. of teachers in private schools.
9
No. of female pupils in private schools.
72
164
No. of school districts having libraries
22
No. volumes in school libraries
696
No. of stone school houses in county
5
No. of brick school houses in county .
13
No. of frame school houses in county .
124
142
No. of school houses built during the year .
2
No. persons between 12 and 21 unable to read and write.
Causes therefor : idiocy 1 ; illness, and neglect of parents, 2.
Amt. paid to male teachers for the year.
$29,473.66
Amt. paid to female teachers for the year.
37,203.SI
$66,677.47
Amt. paid for new school houses
$7,833.53
Amt. paid for sites and grounds
1,445.00
Amt. paid for rent of school houses
59.00
Amt. paid for repairs and improvements
11,451.91
Amt. paid for school furniture.
1,867.93
Amt. paid for school apparatus
290.30
$12,640.67
Total expenditures on account of schools for the year ending September 30, 1876.
$129,482.14
Estimated value of school property.
$274,210.00
Estimated value of school apparatus. 5,202.50
Estimated value of school libraries 1,167.00
$280,579.50
Principal of township fund.
Amt. of township fund loaned on real estate
Amt. of township fund loaned on personal security
Average monthly wages paid male teachers.
Average monthly wages paid female teachers
$197,780.48 140,705.38 56,348.41 $51.00 35.67
3
No. of male pupils in private schools.
92
108
OFFICIAL VOTE OF WHITESIDE COUNTY,
AT AN ELECTION HELD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 1876.
President.
Gover- nor.
Member of Con- gress.
Mem. Board of Equaliza- tion, Fifth District.
Representatives from the Eleventh Sen. District. .
State
Att'y.
Clerk of the Cir. Court.
Sheriff. Coroner.
Hayes,
(Rep.)
Tilden,
(Dem.)
Cooper,
(G'nbk. )
Cullom,
(Rep )
Steward,
(Dem.)
Burchard,
Pattison,
Warner,
Jolinson,
(G'nbk.)
Nevitt,
Shaw,
Stowell,
(Dem.)
Wallace,
(Dem.)
(G'nbk.)
McCartney,
Farrington,
( Rep. )
(Dem.)
(Rep.)
Styer,
(Dem.)
Lathe,
Eddy,
(Dem.)
Jordan .
100
79|
3
100
99
S2
100
79
3 150 IOS6
150
237
9
136
83
703
458
765
405
767
467
Sterling.
772
457| 82
19
232
224
104
233
79
27
23
90
90 101/2
117
30
Montmorency .
60
27
23
59
51
75
S2
150
70
IO 231 5
231 1031/2
IS
99
3
96
71
39
53
141
SI
84
I
219
216
IOS
3
Hopkins
145
53. . . ..
144
541
148
159
74
162
69
2
240
240
200
.
..
96
49|
95
51
92
53 . .
Clyde ...
92
50
3
93
53
90
55
93
50
2
140%
13772 630
58972
419
510
III
433
177
433
190 .
Mt. Pleasant
424
193
7
4321
197
92
192
97
201
S5
295/2
29572
100: 14 342
349%
315
3172
238|
250
IOI
IOS
244
233
IIS .. 75 ..
Portland.
120
67
19
122
84 122
S4
126
63
17
IS31/2
IS312
201
. . .
80
Fenton ..
71
3
78
741
74
78
75
69
5
117
213
Union Grove
192
43
12 192
I91
55|
192
43 45
7
1961/2
147
9
131
132
5I
135
48
130
55 .. 51 | ..
Ustick ..
131
45
7
521
131
52.
229|
177
231 . ...
271
687
170
232
....
223
178
104
165
IOS
1031
591
I |1571/2
177
3
Erie ....
105
59
I
105
98
05
04
107
03 . .
333
128 591512 5432
3952
2574
445
4519 3937 2157 3537 2543 3836 2273
Total.
3851 2131
41
786
43S
785
441
775
452 . . .
1103
3
1451|
24
1148
237
IOI
231
105
63
60
47 92 83
..
Tampico
1541
72
10 154
154
73
37
75
30
Sol
72
191 417
202
439
173
639
IS
232
156
138
ISS
IOI
202
Lyndon ...
197
89
3
IO2
15
230
115 234
IIS
Prophetstown
234
IIS
146
601
SI
8
ISS
192
54
2331
210
162
03 164
03 7
Garden Plain,
1651
59 .
IOS
Newton ..
IOS
78 ....
63
96
105
97
67 107
62
Albany.
100
03
.
107
62
105
IOS
79
IOS
79
59 .... .... 79
333/2
172
172
168
IOI
OI
105
S2
92
IOS
78
1631/2
1581/2
2291/2
IOI
120
13
IO7
IOI
64
102
....
157
157
79
113
57
53
70
40
..
Hume ...
74
35
189
I4I
16I
16I
72
160
72
142 16I
72 ..
Genesee ..
69
3.
23
70
21
23
76
..
IO1/2
270
23
77
IS
So
7
Hahnaman
23
70
....
S2|
I
74
36
SI
146
22 319/2 321
6
154
21272 30I
Coloma ...
234
84
60
49
SS
.
IS7
50
. . . .
9
91
3
9
249
6
117 2831/2
II
2921/2
132
33
184
61
195 109
237 2
Fulton ..
178
175
69 68
130
S2
79 192
73 I
HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
TOWNS.
Scattering.
(Rep.)
(Dem.)
Buell,
(Rep.)
(Rep.)
Culver,
(Rep.)
Whallon,
Worrell,
92
100
32
SI
IOI
45
236
IOI
IO
133 3883 2213 3826 2269 3895 2081
551
131
ISI
166
242
131
1901/2 209
157/2 15
150
147 S
9
51
9
128
122 152
3 2
Co
45
(Rep.)
(Dem.)
(Rep.)
60 . .
1
CHAPTER V.
HISTORY OF ALBANY TOWNSHIP, AND VILLAGE-SOCIETIES-BIOGRAPHICAL.
ALBANY TOWNSHIP.
The present township of Albany first formed a part of Van Buren Precinct, remaining so, however, only a short time, when it was set off as a Precinct by itself, and included within its boundaries the present townships of Newton and Garden Plain. In 1852 it was made a township by the Commissioners appoint- ed by the County Commissioners' Court, and is described as fractional township twenty-one north of the base line, range two east of the 4th Principal Meridian. The township along the river until the Meredocia is reached, is made up princi- pally of high bluffs, thence along the Meredocia it is low with frequent sloughs. The balance of the town is sufficiently rolling to render cultivation certain at every season. The low lands have also been brought to a great degree under cultivation. Besides the Mississippi River which flows on the north and north- west boundaries, the town is watered by the Meredocia on the west, and Spring Creek in the northeast part. Upon the farm of W. S. Booth, situated on the latter creek, about one mile south of the Village of Albany, the Spring Creek Union Agricultural Society holds its annual fairs.
The Meredocia which borders the township partly on the west, and flows through a portion of it, is of peculiar formation. The marsh or stream extends from the Mississippi to Rock river, with a divide of high land in the center. This high land divides the stream, the eastern part flowing to Rock river, and the western part to the Mississippi river. In times of extreme high water in either river the divide is overflowed, the highest stream passing into the other. In 1849 at the breaking up of the ice in Rock river a gorge was formed below the point where the Meredocia enters that stream, causing the ice and water to flow through the Meredocia to the Mississippi with such force as to destroy the bridge over the former near its confluence with the latter. Many years ago Capt. II. H. Gear and others, of Galena, laid out a town at the Mississippi mouth of the Meredocia, intending to cut a canal from river to river, the idea being to avoid the rapids at Rock Island, and have steamers take the Rock river up to this canal and then follow it back to the Mississippi; but after making a careful survey of Rock river from its mouth up, greater obstructions were found there than at the rapids, and the project was abandoned.
At the election held on the 4th of November, 1851, under the act of the General Assembly of the State providing for township organization, Albany cast 59 votes in favor of such organization to 19 against it.
The first town meeting under the new law was held at the public school house in the village of Albany, on the 6th day of April, 1852. The name of the Moderator does not appear in the record. M. S. Denlinger acted as Clerk pro tem. The following officers were elected :
Supervisor, Wm. S. Barnes; Town Clerk, M. S. Denlinger; Justices of the Peace, Gilbert Buckingham, Ivy Buck; Constables, Wmn. Ewing, Chester Lusk; Commissioners of Highways, Alfred Slocumb, A. B. Emmons; Assessor, Chas.
110
HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
Boynton; Collector, B. S. Quick; Overseer of Poor, Henry Pease; Overseer of Highways, Samuel Happer; Pound Master, James Hugunin.
The following record made by the Clerk on the 21st of April, 1852, shows that the then Commissioners of Highways were not very active in the discharge of their duties :
"At a meeting held by the Commissioners of Highways at the Town Clerk's office on Wednesday the 21st of April, 1852, they came to no conclusion about anything, and in fact done nothing at all."
The following is a list of town officers from 1852 to 1877 inclusive :
Supervisors-1852, Wm. S. Barnes; 1853, William Y. Wetzell. Mr. Wetzell resigned his office in February, 1854, and Washington Olds was appoint- ed to fill the vacancy; 1854-'55, A. T. Hudson. Mr. Hudson resigned in Jan- uary, 1856, and Samuel Happer was appointed to fill the vacancy; 1856-'62, W. S. Barnes; 1863-'70, Dean S. Efner; 1871-'76, E. H. Nevitt. Mr. Nevitt re- signed on the 1st of January, 1877, by reason of being elected Representative to the General Assembly, and Ezekiel Olds was appointed to fill the vacancy; 1877, Peter Ege.
Town Clerks :- 1852, M. S. Denlinger; 1853, W. W. Durant; 1854-'56, J. B. Myers; 1857, Henry Pease; 1858, Thos. A. Slaymaker; 1859, S. L. Myers; 1860-'62, Henry Pease; 1863-67, Charles Slocumb; 1868-'77, Henry Pease.
Justices of the Peace :- 1852, Gilbert Buckingham, Ivy Buck; 1854, Dean S. Efner, W. W. Durant; 1856, J. J. Bolls; 1858, Dean S. Efner, Gilbert Buck- ingham; 1860, S. H. Slaymaker, J. C. Slocumb; 1863, Gilbert Buckingham; 1864 Dean S. Efner, Gilbert Buckingham; 1867, Joseph MeMahan; 1868, Dean S. Efner, Joseph McMahan; 1872, Dean S. Efner, James H. Ege; 1873, Dean S. Efner, James H. Ege; 1877, Dean S. Efner, Joseph McMahan.
Assessor :- 1852, Chas. Boynton; 1853-'77, E. H. Nevitt. Mr. Nevitt re- signed soon after his election in 1877, and Wm. H. Fletcher was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Collectors :- 1852, B. S. Quick; 1853, C. G. Nevitt; 1854-'56, A. B. Em- mons; 1857-'58, B. S. Quick; 1859, David Wray; 1860-'61, C. Knapp; 1862, Ezekiel Olds; 1863, Wm. A. Chamberlain; 1864-'65, C. G. Nevitt; 1866, W. D. Haslet; 1867, C. G. Nevitt; 1868, C. Knapp: 1869, Chas. Slocumb; 1870-'71, C. Knapp; 1872, C. G. Slocumb; 1873-'75, Ezekiel Olds; 1876-'77, W. D. Haslet.
The following record of an election held at the house of Wm. Nevitt in the town of Albany, Precinct of Albany, on the 5th day of August, 1844, we were premitted to copy from the original record now in the possession of Hon. E. H. Nevitt :
For Representative in Congress :- Martin P. Sweet 68 votes; Joseph P. Hoge 22; John Cross 1.
For State Representative :- Oliver Everett 67 votes; Winfield S. Wilkin- son 22.
For Sheriff :- James A. Sweet 63 votes; James W. Noble 22; Daniel F. Millikan 1.
For Coroner :- Thomas Vennum 51 votes; Gilbert Buckingham 30.
For County Commissioner :- Bacchus Besse 68 votes; Ebenezer Seeley 17 votes.
For Constable :- Wm. Ewing 34 votes; John S. Lamb 32.
Samuel Slocumb, S. M. Kilgour and Ivy Buck were judges of election, and Stephen B. Slocumb and E. H. Nevitt, clerks.
The Precinct of Albany then comprised the present townships of Albany Garden Plain and Newton. The elections were always held at the village of Albany, and were considered the most exciting days of the year. It will be seen
111
VILLAGE OF ALBANY.
that the Whigs were considerably in the majority in Albany Precinct at that time.
The assessment of Albany Precinct for the year 1839, the Precinct then in- cluding the present townships of Albany, Garden Plain and Newton, made by Lewis Spurlock, Assessor, the original of which is on file in the County Clerk's office, shows fifty-one persons assessed. The property assessed was only person- al, and consisted in the aggregate of 38 horses, valued at $2,025; 157 cows and oxen, valued at $2,995; 390 hogs, valued at $1,201; 8 sheep, valued at $16; val- uation of wagons, $928; of household goods, $1.695; of mechanical tools, $265, and of clocks and watches, $259. Total assessed valuation of all personal prop- erty, $9,384.
Albany township contains about 2,000 acres of improved lands, and about 4,000 of unimproved. From the Assessor's book for 1877 the number of horses in the township is put down at 213; number of cattle, 488; of mules and asses, 3; of sheep, 75; of hogs, 1937; carriages and wagons, 92; sewing and knitting machines, 90; piano fortes, 11; melodeons and organs, 29. Total value of lands, lots and personal property $155,321; value of railroad property, $9,529. Total as- sessed value of all property in 1877, $164,850.
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